Hot Topics:

One good quarter is not enough for Resurrection Christian boy's basketball team

Cougars fall in OT to Denver Christian

By Mike Brohard Sports Editor

Posted:
01/31/2013 10:27:16 PM MST

As shot by shot ricocheted off the iron, so too it seemed, did a shot at taking control of the Mile High League race.

But after two dismal quarters, Resurrection Christian School's boy's basketball team started to show a little life, and then a little more. Before the Cougars knew it, they led visiting Denver Christian after tailing by as many as 17 in the game. But given one more shot at redemption -- an extra frame -- the Crusaders exited the RCS gym with a 58-49 overtime victory to make a mess of the top of the MHL.

"We just couldn't put it in the ocean, and we weren't playing well," Rez coach Bruce Dick said. "We were tentative at times, then just sloppy.

Advertisement

"We still have a chance to win it in regulation, but we make a couple of critical errors."

Rez (10-4 overall, 5-1 MHL) shot a dismal 4-of-24 from the field in the first half and just 2-of-14 from behind the arc. It was not a typical shooting night for the Cougars, and frustration showed. Players became tentative with open looks, and coming out of halftime, Denver Christian (9-3, 5-1) went on an 8-0 run that took it over the top, the final two points coming via a technical called on the Rez bench during a timeout. But as the game and the third quarter were ticking away, Brock Buxman nailed a 3 at the buzzer for the first time since his first shot of the game.

Resurrection Christian School junior Jake Lohr, right, goes up for a shot over Denver Christian's Mason Hofer, front, and Robert Parker in the fourth quarter of their game Thursday at RCS.
(Steve Stoner)

The Cougars were still trailing visiting Denver Christian 41-27 at the time, but there was hope. Better yet, there was a run on the way.

Fueled by Buxman's shot, the Cougars went on a 14-2 run that changed the complexion of the game. Denver Christian became mistake prone, and while coach Ray Van Heukelem said Rez applied pretty good pressure, it was his team's reluctance to keep the foot on the gas that led to seven fourth-quarter turnovers.

"When we stop running, we're not as good as we can be," Van Heukelem said. "That third quarter, we were just starting to walk and just trying to get by. We've got to push it to be a good team."

With 3:56 remaining in regulation, Jake Lohr hit a 3-pointer to give the Cougars the lead for the first time since early in the first. Buxman pushed the lead to 48-45.

Lohr, who had taken one shot before the fourth, scored all nine of his points in the frame to help pace the comeback. While he said he was just being patient with his game, it was a change in attitude that helped the Cougars.

"We just had energy in the fourth quarter, and our attitudes were in it," Lohr said. "The first and second, they weren't. We just came alive in the fourth quarter. We got a couple of baskets, started getting momentum. We had to play a good fourth quarter."

It was 49-47 when Alex Terpstra missed the front end of a one-and-one for the Crusaders, but he was given a reprieve when with 29.1 seconds left, the Crusaders forced a turnover and Terpstra was sent to the line with 10.5 seconds remaining. Terpstra, who finished with 17 in the game, made both, and Rez couldn't get off a good shot at the end.

In overtime, Rez was back to missing everything in sight, missing all eight of its shots, including three layups. It was a defensive breakdown off the tip that allowed Mason Hofer to get an easy layup, and Tate Kastens (who scored 12) followed with another easy look inside. With a quick lead, even shooting just 5-of-12 from the free-throw line in OT didn't hurt Denver Christian.

"There is something psychological about it, and it does set the tone," Van Heukelem said. "It is crucial. From there, they start pressing."

Bruce agreed. All that Rez had going for it was washed out by a sudden return to the way it was the first two quarters, and the Cougars never could regroup. Buxman scored 16, while Wyatt Simon added 11.

From Lohr's perspective, the key for the Cougars is to start a game with the right frame of mind and not hope that one quarter can dig them out of a hole.

"Intensity all four quarters," he said. "We can be, which we showed in the fourth quarter. It's just intensity."Mike Brohard can be reached at 635-3633, mbrohard@reporter-herald.com or on Twitter @mbrohard

Article Comments

We reserve the right to remove any comment that violates our ground rules, is spammy, NSFW, defamatory, rude, reckless to the community, etc.

We expect everyone to be respectful of other commenters. It's fine to have differences of opinion, but there's no need to act like a jerk.

Use your own words (don't copy and paste from elsewhere), be honest and don't pretend to be someone (or something) you're not.

Our commenting section is self-policing, so if you see a comment that violates our ground rules, flag it (mouse over to the far right of the commenter's name until you see the flag symbol and click that), then we'll review it.